Newswire
Coalition announces creation of ‘Sacramento Forward’ to address housing & homelessness crisis
Tuesday, August 8, 2023, a coalition of labor (including SEIU 1021), community groups, and elected leaders announced the creation of Sacramento Forward at a press conference outside Sacramento City Hall.
Sacramento Forward is a comprehensive policy proposal to address Sacramento’s housing and homelessness crisis. Sacramento Forward has five main prongs:
Felton Institute workers and community rally to demand critical health and safety improvements and a fair contract
Management’s refusal to address ongoing safety concerns, negotiate a fair contract, and stop interfering with their employees’ union organizing efforts have workers and SF Supervisors furious
Last Thursday, August 10, at noon, Felton Institute workers and concerned community members rallied outside of the Felton Family Development Center to demand management address their ongoing concerns about the health and safety of staff and clients at Felton sites. They also presented a petition for these changes that has garnered hundreds of signatures.
SEIU 1021 Vice President requests state controller audit of Mendocino County
On Friday, August 4, 2023, SEIU 1021 Region B Vice President Mary Sandberg made an official request to California State Controller Malia Cohen’s Office to conduct an audit and review of Mendocino County’s financial condition. A copy of the letter can be viewed here.
San Jose fast-food workers rally for higher wages and improved working conditions
Fast-food workers in San Jose gathered in a powerful display of solidarity, demanding higher wages and better working conditions on August 2, 2023. The rally was organized by a coalition of local labor unions and advocacy groups, including SEIU Local 1021 and the Fight for $15 & a Union campaign. It drew a diverse crowd of employees from various fast-food chains. Demonstrators voiced their grievances against the persistent issues of low wages and poor working conditions that have plagued the industry for years.
Help fight off a Bay Area traffic nightmare
Tell your elected official to support SB 532 to keep transit safe, accessible, and reliable
Public transit systems in the Bay Area, including AC Transit, BART, and SF Muni, are facing a fiscal cliff due to declining revenues from riders. Without an infusion of revenue, these agencies will be forced to implement drastic cuts that will hurt Bay Area residents who depend on public transit, harm efforts to reduce air pollution, and cost SEIU 1021 members at Muni and BART their jobs.
Public Employment Relations Board rules San Francisco City & County workers have right to strike
The Board struck down provisions in the city charter prohibiting strikes
On July 24, the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) struck down provisions in the San Francisco City Charter that violated city workers’ rights.
On the list of violations: prohibiting city workers from striking; requiring termination of striking city workers; and stripping workers rehired after striking of their seniority.
Starbucks workers on cross-country “Starbus” tour rally at San Francisco City Hall
On Monday July 31, dozens of unionizing Starbucks workers on a cross-country “Starbus” tour rallied at San Francisco City Hall. They were joined by fast-food workers with the Fight for 15, SEIU 1021 members, community organizations, and elected officials.
Mendocino County employees vote to authorize strike
On Friday, July 28, SEIU Local 1021 Mendocino County Chapter members voted to authorize their bargaining team to call a strike if necessary. The strike authorization vote passed overwhelmingly, with 92.4% voting yes.
San Joaquin County members shame Board of Supervisors for failing to adopt Juneteenth
On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, SEIU 1021 members returned to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors meeting chambers to deliver a message: “Shame on you.”
Asian Health Services members turn out in huge numbers to strike school
Asian Health Services strike school on July 20 was a huge success, with over half of AHS SEIU 1021 members in attendance. Participants heard important information from SEIU 1021’s legal team and discussed strategies for a successful strike if necessary.
SEIU 1021 AHS members’ recent picket on July 17 had a tremendous impact on the bargaining table, but they’re keeping the momentum going with daily picketing at ALL AHS Sites from July 31 to August 11 between 12 pm and 2 pm.
Support clean air and a healthy climate (and enter to win a t-shirt)!
Submit a comment to the EPA on the proposed standards to cut climate pollution
The time to do nothing is long gone. With ever-growing examples of climate change’s harmful effects, it’s clear the consequences disproportionately affect working people and people of color. SEIU members, families, and communities are directly impacted by the threats of air and water pollution and extreme weather events.
Power plants are responsible for approximately 25% of the climate pollution that threatens our health and the health of our families, communities, and environment.
United Felton Workers demand management stop risking the health and safety of children, staff, and clients
Sign the petition to keep the clients and workers of Felton Institute safe
There are serious concerns about the health and safety of the children and workers at Felton Institute. In the 2022-2023 school year, staff reported several disturbing events across Felton’s Early Care and Education sites that put the health and safety of many at risk. Make your voice heard and demand crucial changes in the workplace to meet the health and safety needs of the Felton community.
Mendocino County Workers rally in the midst of strike vote to save county services
On Thursday, July 20, Mendocino County workers rallied in the midst of a strike vote to save county services.
Despite total revenue for Mendocino County having increased 44.8% since 2019-2020, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has continued to bargain in bad faith with its employees. In the most recent negotiations, the County suggested that its employees pay more for their healthcare and retirement – an overall pay cut that will further harm the County’s ability to address its staffing crisis.
Come to our rally to show your support for unionizing Starbucks workers
Monday, July 31, Noon, SF City Hall
Unionizing Starbucks workers have been driving their “Starbus” across the country to raise awareness of their fight to bring union protections to the coffee giant. This coming Monday, they’re hitting San Francisco!
Cal Academy of Sciences Workers Vote to Unionize with SEIU 1021 in Landslide Election
After many months of organizing, workers voted by 77% to form their union, Cal Academy Workers United
Roughly 350 employees of the California Academy of Sciences will now be members of SEIU 1021 following a high turnout National Labor Relations Board election that saw 77% of eligible workers voting, of whom 77% voted yes. Votes were counted Friday, July 21.
“That’s a Wrap!” SAG–AFTRA members go on strike in the era of streaming and AI
July 14, 2023, marked the first time that the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG–AFTRA) have walked out on strike simultaneously since 1960.
Both the 2023 SAG–AFTRA and WGA strikes have contributed to the most significant interruption to the United States television and film industries since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
Hundreds of Asian Health Services members picket in Oakland’s Chinatown
They demand a fully staffed clinic and new contract
In an urgent rally on Monday, July 17, Asian Health Services healthcare workers joined together to confront a dangerous staffing crisis that is compromising critical health services and putting vulnerable patients at risk. Short staffing has led to excessively long wait times and declining levels of care for patients, impacting vital programs such as dental, membership, and referrals. Patients are facing waitlists of up to six months, with some waitlists containing up to 500 people, and they have reported waiting up to a week just for a referral.
Seventh largest school district in California fails to pay its lowest-paid workers
SFUSD shortchanges staff. Again.
July 12 was supposed to be payday for San Francisco Unified School District staff. Yet, nearly 1,000 of its lowest-paid, hardworking employees, including lunch servers, nutrition workers, janitors, and clerks who help keep San Francisco schools running every day, did not receive their much-needed checks, instead receiving a last-minute email from the district stating that it was “unable to implement that timeline successfully.” Workers were informed their checks wouldn’t be available until two weeks later, on July 26.
Marin Water Staff flood Board of Directors meeting to protest district’s resistance to negotiate fair contract
While salaries for the highest paid Marin Water positions of District General Manager and District Council have been allowed to keep up with the consumer price index, the Marin Water Board of Directors has left the frontline workers behind.
SEIU 1021 San Francisco nonprofit workers win big increase to minimum compensation ordinance
They also secured a 3.75-4.75% cost of doing business increase that will be passed on to workers
After many months of advocacy and rallies at San Francisco City Hall, SEIU 1021, supported by SEIU 2015 and community partners, accomplished our goal of securing a 4.75% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)/cost of doing business (CDB) for our members working for nonprofits funded by the San Francisco Departments of Public Health, Homelessness, and Adult Probation, as well as 3.75% for all other City-funded nonprofits.